FEATURES

​"Vale Vale" comes out on 9th August on CONTROVERSIA and is really special. The children's voices are so sublime and brings the track to life. Tell us a little about this track.This track is really special for me as I went back to where I came from. For those who don’t know , I started my musical journey when I was just 11 years old. Me and my twin brother Bhaskar had a psy trance project called Lógica and we used to make music in a much faster bpm back then. Making Vale vale made me go back to my roots as much as I did when I wrote a track with Vini Vici and Avicii and it was fantastic and very pleasant.

What keeps you inspired and keeps your work fresh?

Daily inspirational moments, people and music are what really make me inspired and eager to make music to share back with the world. I strongly believe that we must be inspired by people and ordinary moments within our lives. I really value that these days as I am constantly rushing to perform and to attend all commitments most of the time. It makes us appreciate the most simple things and moments.What are your thoughts on the music scene when you first started out versus the music in present day?

It is more than clear now that electronic and pop music have grown exponentially over the last 5 years and I am so glad and honoured to have somehow contributed to such a magical transformation all over the globe.

Your remix of Meduza’s "Piece Of Your Heart" is one of my favourite tracks! How was your remix born?This track is absolutely catchy and remarkable, and I wanted to work on it ever since I heard it the first time. The “da da da da“ stays in our heads like glue and I really appreciate the original work done by Meduza who are such talented guys. When I had the chance to work on its remix I found it quite challenging to work on something that was produced so well and give it my own grip. In the end I think that I was able to create my own twist and the outcome was fabulous. I´m also so honoured to know that my remix is the most played on Meduza´s profile. The dance floor loved it and so did I!

Are there any other classic house or electronic records that you would like to get your hands on to rework?There are so many that I would spend hours writing. Although I have several. I would easily say that a remix of Eric Pridz would make my day :)

For DJs and producers nowadays, social media is an inescapable part of the job as social media can connect you with fans. What is the role social media had at the start of your career?

To be honest I sort of went beyond most of my fellow producer and DJ colleagues when the subject was social media. I realized interacting with your fanbase creates a bond, even if they are on the other side of the globe. For me a fanbase is like a big family. They support you and have your back in all possible scenarios and aspects. It is very comforting to know that you have millions of people interacting with you and supporting you no matter where you go or where you are. It’s rewarding and priceless.

How has your journey in the dance music scene shaped who you are today?

I was born into music and festivals as both of my parents were and are Psy Trance DJ’s and producers and also festival owners. We have an 8 day festival by the beach in Brazil called “Universo Paralello” (Paralelle Universe). We were present at this festival since its first edition and until now I see it as my biggest education in life. It was in this scenario and lifestyle that I shaped my values and my priorities in life. In the end for me it was never too hard to follow my dreams as the people who inspired me most (my parents) were part of that too.

What type of preparation goes into your sets and what are the musical ingredients that go into the perfect Alok performance?Every day and every set is different. The most important part is the set up before a show which I count from the very professional, united and skilled tech team. When they show me that the set is 100% prepared I feel at ease in my mind and let the show happen. It’s very important to perceive what’s the real deal when you’re about to perform. Sometimes we realize that it’s going to be tough for a light bad positioned or a poor structuring within the event or even soundsystem problems. When you don’t have that sort of issue it all becomes more natural and automatic to make a performance ideal.

Finally, what’s up next on the Alok agenda? Are there any special projects that you are working on, or shows that you are particularly excited about?

There are some amazing news and upcoming projects but I have to keep some of them secret unfortunately. All I can say is that I am joining up with an old partner that I had to create another amazing song with a lot of emotions and feelings and I´ve been touring quite a lot. I just came from from Ibiza, where I played three times at Ushuaia and once at Amnesia. I´m going to spend the next weeks traveling, and am so excited to be performing at Burning Man in US at the end of this month, then I go to Japan and Portugal. I am also over the moon to be performing at home in Brazil at Rock in Rio festival which is a very traditional and respected festival in South America. Performing there at the main stage is absolutely breath taking and I am counting the days for such an amazing experience.

Manchester favourites Solardo have linked up with prolific producer Eli Brown on huge dancefloor number ‘XTC’, via Ultra Music / Ministry Of Sound.Announcing itself with a thunderous kick drum, the track melds classic rave elements with high-intensity progressive breakdowns and an infectious “shining in the ecstasy” female vocal. In turn, it delivers an imaginative, uplifting and standout , and returns us to the dance styles we don’t hear enough of in this genre. XTC demonstrates the creativity that can come from a more minimalistic approach.For those looking for a break from the loud and heavy mainstream electronic sound, XTC offer up a strong progressive house opener packed with euphoric, feel-good vibes.With two of the scene’s leading acts joining forces, it’s no surprise that ‘XTC’ is a track with undeniable dancefloor appeal.

1. Is there a song changed your journey as a DJProbably the song that initially put us into the picture was our “remix/bootleg” of Disney’s Frozen. That was literally played everywhere and we still play it now - it’s probably about 5 years old now and works every time. We’re also known for many serious tracks - but another one that has definitely been a big part of our sets lately has been “Jägermeister” which is a little tribute we made for our favourite liquor :)

2. 6 months had passed, tell us about your plans for the rest of 2019.Well, we’re already in the middle of a very heavy (but fun) Summer tour schedule. Probably the highlight of this Summer, although there are many more we should be mentioning, would have to be performing at the MainStage of Tomorrowland, which is obviously a huge honour. We’ve also got some cool tours coming up as well as our Tweekalution concept which we’re bringing to many countries throughout the year and a HUGE amount of music which we’ll be releasing very soon.

3. Da Tweekaz had been mainstage headliner around the world, would this year mainstage appearance at Tomorrowland means anything special for Da Tweekaz?Well, for us this is very special and actually for Hardstyle in general this is really special to be giving it even more spotlight on one of the biggest stages in the World for Electronic Dance Music. So, we’re hoping it will open some more doors for events to think a little out of the box and try something different - we promise they’ll love it.

4. What does it takes to elevate an artist from the club level to the festival stage.Well, in The Netherlands there are so many festivals which have so many stages, that they literally have a lot of room to try new and upcoming talents on smaller stages or opening slots, so that’s a great start. However, we also LOVE playing intimate club bookings. It’s a totally different vibe. But, if you mean - what does it take for ‘new’ artists to break through? We think a very unique stream of music that you create and probably also a strong brand to really put yourself out there.

5. Talking about Hardstyle, from your view how Hardstyle has evolved over the past 10 years?Obviously, the sound has evolved quite a lot. And that’s not only due to the creative aspect, but technology has also advanced quite a bit, that we as producers have so much more new toys and computing power to play with. Also, productionally, Hardstyle is one of the most advanced ‘technical’ styles we know. If you’re a Hardstyle producer, you basically have the skillset to make any style you want because you’re so fixated on EQing, frequencies and fine tuning everything so much, distorting sounds and samples that you can really start to think outside of the box and implement so many different styles into your own Hardstyle productions which really helps the style evolve quite a bit as well. Also, the fanbase has grown quite exponentially on a global scale, which is only a good thing.

6. Can you tell us more about Tweekacore? What type of sound and performance can we expect from Tweekacore?We grew up listening to UK Hardcore / Happy Hardcore and we’ve idolised Darren Styles for many years. We thought it would be fun to take a little side step from our normal ‘Da Tweekaz’ style and so some Happy Hardcore which turned out to be a very big success! Together with Darren Styles (!!) we even started our own label “Electric Fox” especially for this type of sound. So, Tweekacore is just that - Happy Hard. It’s fast but still highly appealing and easy digestible and doesn’t directly conflict with our main artist brand ‘Da Tweekaz”.

7. With the booming of electronic music in Asia. How would that affect a DJ touring calendar? that’s difficult to say. Usually, we need to know many months in advance so we can block our calendar for Asia shows. But the landscape in Europe is so fast paced lately that bookings are coming in so fast, that we’re usually fully booked MANY months in advanced which then makes it very hard to block dates for Asia who book a little more “last minute”. In any case, we love performing in Asia. It’s such a different vibe and it’s so great to show Asia what we stand for.

8. How often do you perform in Asia and in China? And which is your most favourite cityMostly we do about 2 to 3 tours a year. And each tour consists of about 4 to 6 shows.Hard to pick a specific city. As we’ve been coming to Asia for a few years now and we’ve really seen how the scene has been growing. When we first came, it was good, but we think that the audience didn’t really understand it at first. And then the next times we’ve been coming, you just keep seeing more and more dedication and passion. And that goes for every city we’ve been to. So, let’s just say we love ALL of Asia! Especially the food. Actually getting hungry just thinking about this...

9. Given a chance to host a stage at one of the big music festival? Who would be in your lineup?Hmmm… we’ve actually done a few hostings at many big stages. But, we usually bring artists to the lineup who we feel we have a connection with, who we ourselves love to listen to and watch and also what we think would work in any given region. That goes from what an artist plays, to also the popularity of the artist. So, we wouldn’t necessarily go for a full on Hardstyle line-up so we’d do something out of the box. Like… wouldn’t it be awesome if we had Pendulum or Alan Walker tag along!? Haha.

10. Any new songs for 2019? Would there be a chance for an Asia producer to work on a song with you? Wow, we have quite a handful of songs. We’ve been hard at work prior to the European festival season to finish many tracks so we can freshen up our sets during the festival season. So, just keep an eye out because YES, we have A LOT of releases coming up!Would definitely love to work with an Asian artist… does BTS or Black Pink count? :)

11. Is there anything you can exclusively reveal to us?Exclusively? Well.. by the time you’re reading this, our latest “Disney” cover will be out. Circle of Life (from The Lion King!). Fun fact: David Spekter did ALL of the vocals and we even got someone to play the part of the pan flute you hear in the track. So, every single element of that track we made from scratch! So… SURPRISE!

1. Tell us more about Dirty Workz? And what are the plans for 2019?If you do not already know, Dirty Workz is the world leading Hard EDM label. Not only are our artists important, but we take great care to be as close as possible to the fans - listen to their questions and answer them ti our full potential. Next to that, we also have a large merchandise store (we deliver to all countries all across the globe) for which we create and produce not only label branded merchandise to wear but also that of our artists.We represent some of the genre’s leading artists such as Coone, Da Tweekaz, Psyko Punkz, Wasted Penguinz, Sub Zero Project and many many more. We have also just launched a platform which will cater for the newcomers to the scene and also allowing for use to work a lot closer with content creators so they can use our music in their videos - copyright free.

Furthermore, in 2019 we’re working closely with a great partner to bring the brand and its artists to the Asian market - so look out for a an event coming your way!

2. Tell us , how are labels shaping the landscape of the music industry today?Labels, at least if done right, are a key factor into marketing an artists music across many different platforms and both on and offline. An artist is in charge of their creative freedom and the label has to ensure that it maximises as much exposure and in an extension, also income, for the artist. So, it’s always good fun tower on new projects, new ideas and to not only be stubborn and keep doing things how we normally do things, but also watch how the landscape moves, listen to the ideas and wishes of artists and fans and also react to that to stay ahead of the game.So, it’s not just about putting music on a streaming or download portal - there is so much more behind it all and its just immensely important to always keep your eyes and ears open for new things to utilise to make sure that the brand as well as the artists and its fanbase can keep growing and flourishing in this fast paced World.

3. What are the advantages of signing with an established label? First and foremost, the largest advantage - depending on the label - would be its reach and exposure. It’s up to a label to introduce an artist to its fanbase, and it’s definitely not something that happens over night. Many years goes into building a fanbase, and with consistency and perseverance we believe that there’s always room for new and exciting artists to build a fanbase.Furthermore, established labels know what they’re doing. They have partners and know the right people for the right job. From artwork to video clips, to streaming curation, how to push videos online, how to capitalise on social media and things like that.So, we think that there should always be a good harmony between labels, artists and fans. We’re all in this together!

4. We noticed that there are 16 Dirty Workz DJ performing at Tomorrowland this year. How crazy is this?Oh, yes! It’s amazing right!? Good thing is, this isn’t limited to only this year. For instance, Coone has been able to perform at every single Tomorrowland edition since the very beginning. And he even got to perform at the Tomorrowland MainStage in 2018 - making him the very first Hardstyle artist to perform on that stage. 2019 sees Da Tweekaz take over the torch to show the World their take on Hardstyle on the Tomorrowland MainStage. Also, did you know that Dirty Workz had a stage at Tomorrowland in 2016? After that, we also supported Coone (& the Gang) with multiple hosting at Tomorrowland. So, it’s always like coming home from us. And technically, it’s almost in our own back yard :)

5. Is it important to be a DJ and a producer nowadays in order to be noticed by the label?In all honesty. No.Obviously, it’s important to be a good producer and to deliver very exciting, fresh music. Because a label works with music and not with “performances”.Of course, it’s also important for an artist to be able to show his or her music to a broad fanbase, and the perfect way to do this is to DJ at festivals, clubs and events. But, to sign at a label - we don’t think it’s highly important to be a DJ. It definitely helps in ‘choosing’ an artist - because labels receive so many demos, they do have to make a choice as to which artist to work with. But - mainly a label just needs music and a creative artist to work with.

6. How to prepare a demo and making it stand out to the hundreds of songs send to a label daily Well, that’s a good question. By the amount of demos we get on a weekly basis, we notice that everyone wants to be a DJ or producer and most can produce music “somewhat”, but not all of it is quality. And that’s where you can stand out. If you deliver music that sounds high quality, the mix down is good, the idea is good - it’s only a little bit of extra work to fine tune for release. So, try and be original. Don’t copy other artists. Labels want to hear something fresh, something out of the box and something special. It’s not exciting to release music that sounds like 10 other tracks out there.Also, if you do send a mail (we actually stop accepting mails, because it became so so busy) make sure it’s short and to the point. Send the tracks you believe are your best work. It’s also best to send at least 2 tracks so the label can get a feeling of what you stand for. And definitely do not send your tracks as an attachment but use a service such as dropbox or even soundcloud to share your music.And of course, if you don’t get an answer immediately, don’t hesitate to check up on the mail after a week or 2. It can get very busy and labels don’t always have the time to sit down and go through new tracks. So, it’s always a good idea to follow up on your mail - but try and not be too pushy, or you’re not going to make a good impression :)

7. Who is your newest signing to the label? And what makes this artist standout among the rest. We’ve actually got about 3 new signings coming up in the next few months :) So, we’re excited to share that very soon. But for the moment, still a work in progress.The last signing we did to the DWX Update (talent) label would have to be “Betavoice”. He’s a young guy from Russia. He’s advantage would have to be that living in Russia, he doesn’t really have a lot of artist friends living around him - especially in the genre “Hardstyle”, so he’s not being heavily influenced by any other artist that much. So, it’s very refreshing to hear his music. As it stands out quite a bit from what we’re used to. And we like that. It’s what makes an artist unique, and it’s up to the artist to really build on that and push hard to make it.

8. What is the main difference between the European Hardstyle Music and to Asia Hardstyle Music? Would Dirty Workz keen to look at new producer out in Asia?Is there a real difference? We’ve heard some tracks from Chinese artists, but I think the main issue is that those artists are trying to sound like a “European” artist. And that’s not exactly what we want. We think it’s important that there is some kind of a connection to the European style, but also with that uniqueness of what’s hot in Asia, you know? Like, maybe Asia likes anti-climaxes or some different form of kicks, or a different way of making a melody just anything that is “fresh”. It’s hard to explain, really. But we think Asia has an advantage in that Hardstyle isn’t as heavily widespread as it is in Europe, for instance so there is a lot of room to experiment and to do something different.As to the question, are we looking? Yes - we are looking and we’d love to sign an Asian Hardstyle act :)

9. Streaming streaming streaming - do you agree that streaming is saving the Music IndustryAbsolutely - 200%! We have to admit though, a few years ago. It was still difficult to really understand the power of streaming. But, wow… streaming is just a godsend! Not only on the financial part, but marketing wise and the global scale of it all - it’s just very very exciting. Furthermore, where downloads used to have a lifespan of say 1 month, before the track was forgotten under the dust, Streaming allows for a track to live so much longer. Basically, a track can even become a hit even after a year. It’s just such a powerful medium. And it really took down a lot of the illegal downloads as well. Obviously not fully, but it’s so much more easier to stream a track than having to wait for new music, then search for it somewhere online and then download it and then add it to your music library… you know? Streaming is just like “ok, here is the track - get listening”. And it’s so much easier to discover new artists, new types of music and really is an adventure for the listener. So, we’re definitely happy about streaming.

11. With more and more Dirty Workz artist performing in the best festival around the world, any chance for us to see Dirty Workz label night in Asia?Oh definitely. Some of our artists have been performing in China / Asia for a few years already. And each time they come back they keep telling us how big the genre is getting over there. So, we’re definitely excited to start working in Asia and to show the Asian people what we stand for and how we work together with the artists and fans. Actually, we do have quite a few fans who we often talk to on Instagram or Facebook - and quite a bit of them are also on our Youtube channel. So, we do notice that there is quite a following already.

The belgian-based DJ will perform at Radio Ultra Modern stage Saturday 20th of July.

BLVCKPRINT, is driven by a persistent love for music. No matter where he is performing or what tracks he is playing, He always focused on the synergy between music and audience. Along with his undeniable mixing skills, BLVCKPRINT has the talent to gauge a crowd by dropping the perfect beat at just the right moment. BLVCKPRINT signed tracks on Armada Music/Universal Music, with huge supports from some of the biggest DJ's in the scene like David Guetta, Tiesto, Steve Aoki, Wolfpack, Blasterjaxx, Bassjackers and many others.

Headlining shows at festivals & Clubs like Dreambeats, Dance D-Vision, Beachland, Versuz, ... Entering the Belgian Dj Top 100 at spot #79 is a sure recognition for his talent.

Love is the answer. Love is the key. Love is the message… for you and me. Seattle based DJ Petey Mac is bringing the classic house vibes with his new summer anthem ‘Love Is The Answer', out now on Gameroom Records.

It's all about house music, it's all about love. Proving true to the genre with a killer bass line, infectious piano melody and even some disco influence, ‘Love Is The Answer' reminds me of a track you'd hear in an Erick Morillo set in Miami in the '90s. Petey Mac does the house genre justice on this one, give it a spin below.

3) What is Wolfpack 2.0 ? What is the story behind it ?Its is an update of the old Wolfpack, we wanted to do something extra for our fans and that’s why we designed our Wolf Masks, also we have to admit its a lot of fun for us and it looks very good on the pictures.

4) How do you describe China Electronic Music Scene as compare to the rest of Asia countries and Europe ?A growing culture that has a lot of potential.

5) Which is your most favorite city in China in term of sighting and food ? We really enjoy Shanghai because there is a lot of variety in food and nice people.

6) What do you see China Electronic Music scene in 3 years times?We have no idea, everything changes so quickly these days, we wish we could predict the future but that would also be boring ;)

7) What is the insipration behind your new song ELEV8 ? Is it the first time you worked with Diego Miranda and Fatman Scoop?It is the inspiration of us, Diego and Fatman Scoop mixed.. we have done a couple of collaborations together already, we became good friends and we also have a lot more tracks in the pipeline!

8) Last year was your highest ranking on DJmag Top 100 DJ. How much works was behind the scene to push yourself up on the chart and what is your goal for tis year ranking ?We truly have been blessed with our high ranking in Dj-Mag!! The only thing we do and can do is to make as much as possible great tracks, be friendly to our fans, and perform crazy, energetic and fun shows!

9) Describe the festival or music event that changed your life.Tomorrowland Brazil was a beautiful and exhilarating festival! Playing on the MainStage when the sun came down performing our TML anthem Find Tomorrow really changed our lives in a good way.

GODAMN's new track has just landed on CONFESSION, and the support is massive ! After tracks on Dim Mak, Heldeep, Spinnin Records, swiss duo is back with a banger track on Confession. The hype was huge since MALAA played it as an intro to each of his live shows for months !

Best friends 3LAU (Justin Blau) and Justin Caruso share not only a name, but also a love for uplifting electronic music. They have traveled the world together playing stages and festivals across the globe and more recently, the duo found themselves in a studio in L.A. where they produced their first collab, 'Better With You'. The song's message, delivered by Norwegian singer-songwriter Iselin (best known for lending her vocals to Alan Walker's 'Faded'), is universal, describing the important relationships we have with friends, family, collaborators and more.Listen to 3LAU & Justin Caruso feat. Iselin – Better With YouA gorgeous blend of addictive pop and rousing dance music with Iselin's spot-on vocals wedged in between, 'Better With You' shows all the hallmarks of a global smash song. Starting off with gentle piano and guitar before erupting into summer-tinged magic, this song demonstrates massive airwave potential while simultaneously staking its claim as a crowd favorite in the festival circuit.3LAU: "Justin Caruso and I met years ago, and when we sat down to write 'Better With You' together, we wanted to capture the essence of dance music culture with the song. Dance music is all about sharing experiences with the people you love, the same way DJs all support each other's music, and best friends get to escape frustrations of daily life at live shows. We really hope you like this one, and shout out to Iselin who wrote an incredibly beautiful vocal."Justin Caruso: "'Better With You' is one of my favorite songs I've worked on yet. 3LAU and I have been like brothers for the last three years, so to finally release a song together is really special! This song can be viewed from so many perspectives, from a couple or family to a relationship with a pet. I think that makes this song really unique."Having just announced his return to Ultra Music Festival Miami, Justin Blau (3LAU) is regarded as one of electronic music's most talented individuals for a reason. Throughout his blossoming career, he has released a string of head-turning records, including 'How You Love Me', 'Is It Love', 'Fire', 'Ultraviolet' lead single 'Touch' (#1 iTunes Electronic chart) and multi-million-stream remixes for pop icons such as Rihanna, Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes and Ariana Grande. Outside of the studio, 3LAU has also built his reputation as a must-see live performer, appearing at major festivals such as Electric Zoo, EDC Vegas, Lollapalooza and Life Is Beautiful while touring extensively on an international scale.Justin Caruso has been pursuing his dream of being a producer since he was 14. He spent his first few years of college balancing a full course load at the University of Southern California, touring the country with 3LAU, and releasing original content, gathering millions of streams. Soon after dropping out of school to pursue his passion, he was playing top festivals across the U.S., opening for NGHTMRE and The Chainsmokers, and touring with Tiësto. Since then, Justin has continued to tour the country and work with new artists in diverse genres.